Yi Chang City, Hubary Province
Three Gorges Dam (The Golden Water Way), largest in the world, was the first stop Friday. Construction spanned 1993-2009 with the following priorities: flood control, navigation improvement and hydro electric production. Many residents were displaced by the construction and impacted local urban areas by their relocation. This project advanced the area from a 10-year flood zone to a 100-year flood zone.
Traveling on to AnFu shi town, the group met with Mrs. Feng Dai Hong, local business woman and farmer, to tour her farm. Three generations, 5 people, operate 3 Mu (1 Mu = 1/6 acre) with rice being the priority crop. The annual production is 10,000 pounds which is sold at harvest to comply with the government imposed Family Production Responsibility program (crop quota), which is a requirement for them to retain the land. They are very self-sufficient raising bokchoy,spinach, cabbage, mandarin oranges, peanuts, eggplant, and canola, with several pigs and a half dozen chickens occupying “rooms” at the back of their farm house. All their rakes, pitch forks and shovel handles are made from wood harvested on their parcel.
Into the village, the group toured store front shops that ranged from modern shoe and clothing shops to, flea market type store fronts to a food market with fresh produce, fish, turtle, snake and other assorted cooking staples. The group certainly had the attention of the locals!
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